To greet the leaders of our region, affirm them the gratitude of all Cubans for support and solidarity received, before substantial damage caused by three hurricanes that recently struck our country. Dear friends: the journey so far has been long and difficult. Gather for the first time leaders of Latin America and the Caribbean in a forum of noble and fair claims, without exclusions, nor the presence of extra-regional countries has unquestionable importance. We appreciate that conditions are conducive to be the beginning of a process of extraordinary strategic significance for the destinations in our region, in a world with little chance to trigger isolated, alien to the common challenges that imposes on us, decisive way, this magna appointment Globalization. I don’t mean to the neoliberal model of this, actually proposed a balloon colonization, but the construction of essential globalization of solidarity. The main challenge is to gradually move from words to deeds. Actions inclusive taken at this Summit, in addition to its practical sense, must be guided by the cooperation between our two peoples. It is essential to have this Summit follow-up, this promising initiative is not reduced to the opportunity to meet and Exchange on this occasion.

Before declaring the global economic crisis in progress, our peoples already had accumulated historical experience of exploitation and underdevelopment expressed, succinctly, inequality of income, social injustice, hunger, illiteracy, insecurity in the health care, plundering of natural resources and the consequences of an inadequate economic and social infrastructure. No less impressive have been theft of brains and abusive servicing the external debt load, to the the grim picture that involves criminality, drug trafficking and environmental deterioration, aggravated by the failed neoliberal recipes applied as an unquestionable dogma is added. It is not now of creeds and ideologies, but the recognition aware of the exhaustion of an economic model that only the State, with the participation of the whole of society, can be rectified, ultimately, through systematic action, coordinated and committed to the most prominent interests of the nation.